Nature, education and exploration grow together at Goodenow Grove

(Photo by Anthony Schalk)

There’s no wrong time of year to visit the Forest Preserve District’s Goodenow Grove Nature Preserve and Plum Creek Nature Center, and The Nature Foundation of Will County is proud to support this year-round destination where visitors of all ages can have meaningful nature experiences throughout every season. 

Situated on the far east side of Will County, the preserve is a go-to destination to enjoy nature and learn more about it, a task made easy at the nature center. The trails and nature center are open year-round.  There’s actually more to do when the weather turns cold, said Heather Van Zyl, the Forest Preserve District’s facility supervisor. The large hill outside the nature center becomes a hotspot for sledding after a good snowfall, and when the mercury drops low enough, visitors can even ice skate on Snapper Pond. 

Ever wonder what you might do at the preserve or nature center during the winter? Heather says, “The same things we do now but in warmer clothes.” 

Visitors are encouraged to visit often to take advantage of the free programs, events and exhibits and to enjoy the beauty of the changing seasons. 

“I hope that people who come to Plum Creek are able to meet their goal, whether that’s recreating or education or just finding a safe, peaceful place.”  

She said some people pop in for just a few minutes to get a map or a trail recommendation while others linger a bit, to check out the exhibits or relax in the bird observation area.  

Our support helps the nature center in several ways. First, the bird observation area serves as an exhibit space, and the Foundation often provides financial support to bring traveling exhibits to the site.  

“That’s always an amazing opportunity because it brings different people to us for different reasons,” Heather said. 

The Foundation also provides financial resources to enhance the outdoor bird-feeding area, which improves birding opportunities throughout the year. 

We help expand educational opportunities for students who visit the site for field trips. Staff use funds we provide to purchase high-quality, youth-friendly equipment such as binoculars, and even launched a new field trip on birding, a program teachers requested. 

The Foundation also contributes to help care for the nature center’s three animal ambassadors, Penny the ball python, Lilo the box turtle and Bluey the blue-tongued skink, “our most popular coworkers,” Heather joked.  

The preserve itself is special in a lot of ways. Prior to the Forest Preserve District of Will County’s purchase of the land in the 1970s it served as a Scout camp. In 2025, the District added nearly 500 acres to the preserve, a parcel they had been interested in acquiring since the 1970s. Today, at 1,411 acres, it is the District’s second largest preserve. Only Hickory Creek Preserve covers more acreage. 

Multiple trails crisscross the land, plus the preserve provides access to the Plum Creek Greenway Trail, which passes right behind the nature center. Across its expansive acreage, the habitat is varied, including woodlands, prairies, wetlands and more, said Jessica Quinn, the Forest Preserve District’s natural resource management coordinator. The diverse habitat supports several species, including endangered and threatened animal and plant species as well as species of greatest conservation need.  

The Forest Preserve District has been conducting large-scale land management at Goodenow Grove for more than a decade, Jessica said.  

“Because Jan Heideman included The Nature Foundation in her estate plans, we can contribute funds to help accelerate the ecological improvements at Goodenow Grove,” said Tara Neff, The Nature Foundation’s executive director. 

The Nature Foundation offers opportunities for residents to leave their own lasting mark on the preserve through its commemorative tree and bench program, which offers benches for adoption at preserves including Goodenow Grove. 

We enhance and accelerate the Forest Preserve District’s preservation, conservation, education, and recreation goals through philanthropy.  You can help. Make your gift today!